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PMI · PMP

PMP certification — cost, requirements, exam format

In short

The PMP exam fee is $425 for PMI members and $675 at the full non-member price, paid only after PMI accepts your application.

To apply you need one of four education-and-experience pairs — 5 years with a high school diploma, 4 with an associate's degree or trade school diploma, 3 with a bachelor's degree or higher, or 2 with a degree from a PMI GAC program — with the experience inside the last 10 years, plus 35 hours of project management training or an active CAPM.

The exam is 180 questions in 240 minutes at a Pearson VUE test center or online; renewal takes 60 PDUs every three-year cycle.

US dollars, as shown on PMI's US pages.

Last verified Oct 19, 2026 · Sources below

This is a plain-English summary of PMI's published rules and US prices, checked by hand on the date shown. PMI can change prices and rules at any time. Confirm on pmi.org before you apply or pay.

Who the PMP suits

The PMP is PMI's certification for people who already manage projects at work — the application asks for years of experience taking responsibility for planning, decisions, delivery and outcomes, listed project by project. If you don't have those years yet, the CAPM is PMI's entry-level option: see CAPM cost, requirements and exam or the CAPM vs PMP side-by-side.

PMI says PMP holders report a 17% higher median salary (the US median is $135,000) and that there are more than 1.7 million PMP holders. We can't check those claims; they are PMI's own marketing figures, linked below.

Quick facts

PMP at a glance — checked Oct 19, 2026
Exam fee — PMI member$425
Exam fee — full price$675
PMI individual membership$164 per year
Exam180 questions · 240 minutes (4 hours) · two 10-minute breaks
AttemptsUp to 3 times within the one-year eligibility period after the application is approved
DeliveryAt a Pearson VUE test center or online
Maintenance60 PDUs per three-year cycle

US dollars, as shown on PMI's US pages.

Exam format

The PMP exam has 180 questions in 240 minutes (4 hours), with two 10-minute breaks. You take it at a pearson vue test center or online. Content is split into three domains: People 33%, Process 41%, Business Environment 26%.

If an attempt doesn't pass, you can try again — up to 3 times within the one-year eligibility period after the application is approved. What a re-examination costs is not shown on PMI's public pages; check your PMI account.

What it costs, in one line

One attempt at full price is $675. As a PMI member it's $425 plus $164 for a year of membership — $589 in all, $86 lower on one attempt. The PMP cost page has the full dated fee ledger and a membership break-even calculator.

US dollars, as shown on PMI's US pages.

What PMI asks before you apply

5 years with a high school diploma, 4 with an associate's degree or trade school diploma, 3 with a bachelor's degree or higher, or 2 with a degree from a PMI GAC program — experience counts only within the last 10 years, overlapping projects are not double-counted, and each project is listed separately. Add 35 hours of project management training (or an active CAPM). Live classes have a new rule from Dec 1, 2026. The PMP requirements page walks through each path and has a small year checker.

What is the PMP pass rate?

PMI does not publish a pass rate for the PMP. We don't estimate one. Any figure you see elsewhere is a third-party guess, not a PMI number — treat it accordingly.

Keeping the PMP

Renewal takes 60 PDUs (professional development units) per three-year cycle. PMI's public pages don't show a renewal fee — check your PMI account before the cycle ends.

Questions

How much does the PMP exam cost?
$425 for PMI members and $675 at full price, paid only after PMI accepts your application — US dollars as shown on PMI's US pages, checked Oct 19, 2026. Re-examination fees are not shown on PMI's public pages, so check your PMI account before you pay.
What does PMI ask for before I can apply?
One of four education-and-experience pairs — 5 years with a high school diploma, 4 with an associate's degree or trade school diploma, 3 with a bachelor's degree or higher, or 2 with a degree from a PMI GAC program — with experience inside the last 10 years, plus 35 hours of project management training or an active CAPM. PMI reviews each application and decides whether the experience counts.
How long is the PMP exam?
240 minutes (4 hours) with two 10-minute breaks, at a Pearson VUE test center or online.
What is the PMP pass rate?
PMI does not publish a pass rate for the PMP. We don't estimate one, and we don't repeat third-party guesses.
How many times can I take the PMP?
Up to 3 times within the one-year eligibility period after the application is approved.

Keep going

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